GIANT Cypress SX (Any Critiques?)

Visiting my LBS Saturday, I noticed the new GIANT Cypress SX and fell head over heels for what it offers. It seems to have all the features of the comfort Sedonna (larger tires, etc.) and all the great stuff my present GIANT LX has. Where was this bike last summer when I made my initial purchase.
Anyhow, does anyone have any experience with this bike, has anyone ridden this newbie, any opinions? We mostly ride the neighborhood and some rail trails. The tires (of the SX) are the same diameter as the LX but are much larger in girth.
The SX can be viewed at:

My husband bought a Cypress last summer (DX) and loves it! He rides rail trails, bike paths, and putters around the neighborhood. He is about 6 feet tall and about 300 lb and is able to pedal up to 10 to 15 miles on this (a real exercise victory for him!). He really likes this bike!

I bought the Cypress (just a plain cypress) about a month ago. It's a great bike for short to medium distances. However, I learned pretty quickly that I want to go further and just last week bought an OCR2. Now the Cypress is hanging in the garage. Can't decide if I'm going to keep it or sell it.

I have a 2004 Giant Cypress SX and love it. It's a great bike for riding to the tennis courts and running errands around town. On the weekends, I like to go on shorter 15-20 mile rides. I added some Profile SOS Bar Ends and Continental 700 x 25 Ultra Gatorskin tires. The Giant Cypress SX is a tremendous value in a recreational bike.

I love my Giant Cypress! I bought it last summer, too. Riding the heck out of it. I ride about an hour every day I can (6 days a week in season), sometimes going for longer rides of an hour and a half. A bike to me is a bike - basic thing is FIT. Even an expensive, really "sweet" machine can be ICK if it doesn't FIT the rider. And that comes down to custom adjustments and possibly changing the saddle, etc. So go for a good FIT, no matter what you buy, and that's half the battle.

Good thing you bought your Cypress SX in 2004 like I did. For 2005, Giant changed the Cypress SX by adding a dumpy saddle, adjustable stem, and disc brakes. I'm holding onto my 2004 Cypress SX. If I were to get a bike in 2005, the Giant FCR-2 looks pretty good.

I just bought the '05 SX today as an alternative to my Cannondale Scalpel. Basically for rides with my wife & son around the neighborhood or to the local market.

Anyway when I got it home I set the SX up and took it for a short spin. The SX shifts and brakes smoothly. The ride is plush and comfy and I can see myself doing long rides without a problem.

It's weird for me to sit completely upright so I adjusted the stem and bars to give me a more head down position. The suspension takes up a lot of the bumps so even with the little bit of extra weight shifted forward I felt OK. I injured my right arm while mountain biking last year, so these days after 30 minutes of riding the Scalpel I'm usually in a good deal of pain. But not with this bike, I did 30 minutes no problem.

Anyway, the coolness factor of this hybrid is next to nothing. The '04 SX was pretty much a flat bar road bike. Which is cool. But to me the '05 SX feels and looks a lot like a mountain bike with 700cc tires, road bike components, and an adjustable stem.

I spent two days reading the reviews many people had posted about Hybrid Bikes and decided on a Giant Cypress SX. I went to Brooklyn Bicycle Center on Coney Island Ave in Brooklyn, where I live. The salesperson Margo, seemed extremely knowledgeable about bikes. I asked why the Cypress SX she had on display looked different from the pictures online and in the 2005 Giant Catalog. It had no front suspension, or rapidfire shifters. She said that you can't go by the catalog and that they preferred this deisgn over the one I described. She also told me that to make up for the things I asked her about, Giant reduced the quality of the derailleurs. She quoted me a price of $700 each for two. I thought something was fishy, so I double checked the web and I called Giant. Margo was selling me two 2004 Cypress SX's with a MSRP of $600 each for $700 each. They are no longer in Giant's catalog and can be found online for under $600. The 2005 Cypress SX's have suggested MSRP's of $750. I was getting hosed. I confronted Margo. She of course denied that she was selling last years model at an inflated price. She told me the people I spoke to at Giant were wrong.
To make a long story short, don't buy at Brooklyn Bicycle Center!
Best Regards,
Scott

Good thing you did your homework. It would appear that Margo was not telling you the truth. The Giant Cypress SX that I purchased last year was a 2004 model. It had a $600 MSRP. It is more of a road bike with flat bars, just what I wanted. For 2005, Giant changed the Cypress SX by adding a suspension fork adjustable stem, disc brakes and a more cushioned saddle, etc. The MSRP rose to $750. If I hadn't bought my Giant Cypress SX last year and had to start over, I would go with the Giant FCR 2 instead. Other members may like the new 2005 Giant Cypress SX configuration. For me, I'll stick with my 2004 model.

Hopefully I can get some help here or answers before next week. So Far I love all the responses. ( I might add the link Slvoid gave for the http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=9614 looks nice except it is CHAINRINGS 48Ax36Sx26S, Hyperglide, w/chainguard ) and I am looking for a road gear 30/42/52

I test rode a 2005 Cypress, and then a 2004 Cypress SX today and fell in love with the 2004 SX !! tall gears, lightness, and handling.

I deffinatly know I want and need the 52 crank. but I also liked the comfort features of the cypress. delima time for me!!

I can pick up the 2004 Cypress SX for $540
but due to an accident I will need to add trigger shifters for longer rides. + some $$ and I think I should be after tax $600 range

I also liked the comfort of the reg Cypress. although in my short mile ride in town the lack of comfort features on the 2004 didn't effect my arm or wrist.

I guess I seek guidence and experienced opinions on if I should spend the extra money for a 2005 Cypress SX and how much does the shocked fork effect handling? and is it really worth the extra weight it adds?

Tough call for me to make between a 2004 or 2005 SX one being $600 and the other being $750

I haven't rode in 10 years but my old bike was a Raleigh Grand Prix and I often rode it on 20 mile trips. I am probably looking at 12 mile trips max now.

GMTA!!! The second bike I owned was a blue Raleigh Grand Prix. Anyway, If you like the ride of the 2004 Giant Cypress, I would go for it. You could probably work out a deal with your LBS to swap out the shifters and set it up the way you like. As you know, the 2004 Giant Cypress SX is designed more like a road bike with flat bars, while the 2005 Giant Cypress SX is designed more as a comfort bike. While you get the same frame in the 2005 as the 2004, you pay more for the suspension fork, and disc brakes in the 2005. My LBS allowed me to upgrade my Giant Rincon to the Giant 2004 Cypress SX. I ride on the streets, and found the suspension fork to be unnecessary. Bouncing up and down, it made climbing difficult and added to the overall weight of the bike. I have never tried disc brakes, so I cannot comment on them. The V-brakes on the 2004 work fine. Save your money. Work out a deal with your LBS and get the 2004. Good luck.

On my Giant Rincon, when I stood up to climb out of the saddle, the suspension fork bounced up and down like a pogo stick. This is what suspension forks are supposed to do right? They absorb shock. Well, as far as climbing goes, this made it difficult to climb. All my climbing energy was being absorbed by the suspension fork. When seated and climbing, the suspension fork was fine. Keep in mind, I ride on the streets and not on trails. I got the Giant Rincon because I was just getting back into cycling and liked the styling of a MTB. As my interest in cycling increased, I gravitated toward the 2004 Giant Cypress SX. Someday, I may upgrade to a road bike. I have been eyeing the Giant OCR 2 and 3 for quite some time. For now the 2004 Giant Cypress SX fits my riding style. So, it all comes down to whether you want the suspension fork for or not. If you plan to ride on the streets, save your money. Go for the 2004. You will have change left over for that $10 wrist support.

If you want the disc brakes and suspension fork, it sounds like a good deal. The LBS is working with you to make your bike happen. My 2004 came with 700c x 28 tires. I am 5' 9" and weigh 145 lbs. I upgraded my tires to 700x25 Continental Ultra Gatorskins for a faster ride. I think you would do well with the 700x28 tires. They would be a little more forgiving and give you a comfortable ride. Be sure to make sure that you are talking with your LBS about a 2005 Giant Cypress SX or a 2005 Giant Cypress LX. The SX is $750 MSRP and the LX is $470 MSRP. Good luck.

thanks for the SX/LX warning... LOL I think I confused them more than anything.

I called all over within a 50 mile range looking for a 19" SX to ride. There was none to be found. So then I thought I might be able to get a good judgment of the SX if I rode an LX because it also has disc brakes. SO I repeted all my phone calls. and about 30 miles away the LBS had a 19" LX and assembled it for me. and they had an 04 SX but was 17"

I rode both (the 05 19" LX and the 04 17" SX) up and down some uneven sidewalks, over speed bumps, and down a pitted concrete section of sidewalk. I like the speed of the 04 but the comfort of the 05 is very nice. SO then after riding both I was talking the negatives and pros of the 04 and 05 for me. And they offered to put on the 28's the flat bar like the 04, and to swap saddles on a 05 SX.

I guess my biggest negative to the cypress line is speed. I "think" I can blame most of that on the 40's and the 28/38/48 crank.

which both the 04 and 05 SX has the 30/42/52 cranks so if I put 28's on the 05 SX I'll get the speed back but with extra weight.

and then of course there is handling and response. That is something I can not know until I ride a 05 SX on 28's to see just how much is lost with heavier fork and shocks.

on a side note the extra weight could in some ways be a better trainer. ????

After riding a slug around for a couple of years and then jumping on an OCR for a long ride.

I'll spend the day thinking about it at work, and they did offer to order an 05 SX. I'll have to call them back and see if that is possible, even though there is a chance I'll still end up with the 04 from a differant LBS.

Michelin 700c x 28 , the 04 seat, and a straight flatbar for no additional cost.

I picked it up last Sunday evening and put like 7 -9 miles on it.
didn't get it all dialed in and ended up with a sore butt on monday lol.

For not riding in so long Monday was a 14.5 mph avg to work and 11.9 on way home 5.6 miles one way (back roads)

Today Wednesday I took the state route to work 3.9 miles one way and had an avg mph of 18 to work, and on way home in a soaking downpoar I avg'd 15 mph

(btw blue jeans add a bunch of weight you have to lift up when soaked)

I love this bike!! it may not be the fastest but it sure isn't the slowest. The shocks do take a bite out the power, but nothing really I can do about that, as I don't have a liftime prescription to pain meds. after 35 total miles yes my arm still hurts, but it is livable and an areo (sp) bar might help.

Once I get my lungs back from smoking, and get my legs back into shape I'll see what kind of averages I can do on longer rides.

My local bike shop also was trying to sell the 04 SX for the price of the 05, this year. I found another shop who had it for $480, so off to that shop I went. I had emailed the bike shop here about the discrepancy, and they just never responded at all. I totally thing the 04 was a better deal, for me anyway, since I didn't want shocks, etc. Otherwise, I'd have gone with a Specialized Sirrus, since i had one before and liked it (just no local dealers for that, and none on "clearance").